Goyal hails Jaya as "iron lady," latches on to her legacy

Days after his party inked a poll pact with AIADMK, senior BJP leader Piyush Goyal Sunday hailed the late Dravidian party supremo J Jayalalithaa as a champion of the weaker sections and lauded her pro-poor initiatives like the "Amma canteen."
The Union Minister quoted Jayalalithaa's maiden speech in the Rajya Sabha (in 1984) when the late leader had said: "I have come here as a representative of the weakerer sections of our society."
She had said that she represented humble workers,farmers, poor agriculture labourers and women, Goyal recalled and added that "her heart was for the poor, farmers and the less privileged sections of society."

Describing her birth anniversary today as an auspicious day for the launch of the kisan plan, he requested the gathering to stand up and give a "resounding appalause" as a mark of respect for the late leader, to which many in the audience responded by saying, "Puratchi Thalaivi Amma vazhga."
Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam too said that the "path breaking" farmers scheme was launched on the birth anniversary day of "our revered leader honourable Amma."